I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the steaming water. As I sank into the warmth, a soft moan escaped my lips, the hot temperature easing the knots of tension in my muscles.
Reaching for the tub's edge, I grabbed a bottle and brought it to my nose—citrus and cedar. I grabbed another bottle, but it smelled the same. I sighed at the thought of smelling like him but poured the liquid into my hand anyway and started to rub it into my scalp and skin.
The water in the tub never seemed to cool, its heat a continuous comfort as I sank deeper into the bath, the soothing warmth coaxing me toward relaxation. I must have drifted off, lost in the water's embrace, when a sudden knock at the door jolted me back to reality.
“Don’t come in!” I shouted, scrambling to grab a fluffy black towel from the edge of the tub. I quickly dried myself off and wrapped the towel around my body before cautiously opening the door.
Xavier stood there, leaning against the door frame with an amused smirk. He was still wearing his robe, but his hair was damp as if he, too, had gone and bathed. He held onto a bundle of clothing, and I narrowed my eyes at him as he pushed them forward into my arms.
“Here,” he said, his tone gruff. “This is all Julian could scrounge up on short notice. He’s sending someone to town to fetch more clothes and something for you to wear tonight,” Xavier said lightly, but I could tell he was upset about something.
“What’s tonight? My sacrificial ritual?” I asked, adjusting the bundle of clothing he gave me. I almost dropped my towel in the process. “Shit,” I muttered, quickly grabbing the towel to keep it from slipping.
Xavier stiffened. “We have my governing council arriving today from the other territories to go over a plan for the witches and to make them aware of what my brother has done,” he said stiffly. “There will be a dinner tonight.”
He seemed to be upset about the fact. “And you don’t like dinner?” I asked, clearly missing something.
“Not when the meeting is about my traitorous brother, and I have a frail human in my possession,” he grumbled, his tone terse.
“I am not a possession, and I am not frail,” I snapped, my voice sharp.
Xavier rolled his eyes, turning away from the door.
“Then why have me join?” I asked.
He paused, glancing over his shoulder. He seemed to weigh my words, but ultimately ignored my question. “I’ll take you to breakfast when you’re finished getting ready.”
Scoffing, I slammed the door to the bathing room, the sound echoing in the quiet space. I leaned against the door, closing my eyes. This place was dangerous. These people had magic, and as much as I hated it, I was precisely what Xavier said I was. Compared to all of them, Iwasa frail human.
The clothes he had given to me didn’t exactly fit. It was clear that the clothes were made for someone taller and much more muscular than me. The navy shirt hung off my shoulders, and I had to tie it at the back to keep it from falling off. The pants fitbutwere too loose, forcing me to roll up the bottoms to avoid tripping.
I looked in the mirror and sighed. The outfit wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do.
As I exited the chamber and stepped back into Xavier’s room, I froze. Xavier stood in the middle of the room, arms crossed, his hair now dry and tousled over his brow. He had changed into a similar outfit to the one I had seen when we first met: a black silken shirt tucked into black leather pants. He had left the top few buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a glimpse of his toned chest, and I had to remind myself to keep my mouth from falling open.
“You really like the color black,” I remarked, still stunned at how annoyingly handsome he was—not that I would ever let him know that. My stomach seemed to flip, and he frowned slightly as his gaze swept over my ill-fitting clothes, irritation flashing in his emerald eyes.
He stepped toward me, stopping just a foot away, and extended his hand. I hesitated before taking it. A jolt of electricity shot up my arm at the contact, and I noticed Xavier’s hand twitched slightly as if he, too, felt the spark.
His green eyes sharpened as darkness began to swirl around us. In the blink of an eye, we were in a different room, the shadowy mist evaporating as quickly as it had come. I sucked in a sharp breath, pulling my hand from his instinctively. He grinned down at my panicked expression, revealing straight, pearly white teeth. The smile almost took my breath away, leaving me momentarily frozen in place.
“More warning next time,” I spat, irritated at my body's reaction to him.
“Where is the fun in that?” He chuckled darkly, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he continued to look at me.
“Who the hell is that?” a silky female voice cut through the air.
“Looks like Xavier has a girlfriend,” another male voice answered.
“That is the human I was telling you about,” Julian's voice echoed.
I turned to face the source of the voices and found myself in what seemed to be a grand dining hall. The walls and floors were the same black obsidian marble as the ballroom, and a large hearth heated the room from one end, large enough to house a tiny family.
Large floor-to-ceiling windows filled the majority of the adjacent wall, the scene through them breathtaking as the sun rose higher into the fiery yellow sky. Towering mountains surrounded various reflective lakes, and far-off villages were scattered across a lush green landscape.
In the center of the room, a long wooden table stretched out, laden with various foods. Julian occupied the right side, his wolfish grin reappearing as his eyes flicked toward me with renewed interest. The man and the woman sat at the opposite side of the table, their faces betraying a mix of curiosity and mistrust.
The female was strikingly beautiful, her strawberry blonde hair meticulously arranged in a tight bun. Braided strands swirled and twisted, held in place by what looked like two sharp, ornate blades. Her angular features accentuated her beauty, and her soft brown eyes narrowed on me with a predatory gleam—like a hunter assessing its prey.
